Badical Nindo
by Brother Bludgeon
Summary: “‘Never be normal.’ That's my nindo, my ninja way. Helping her, watching her back no matter what, being there for the one whose eyes look at me and don’t turn cold. That, too, is my ninja way…” Kim PossibleNaruto Fusion
1. The Demon Returns: No More Sacrifices!

Rated T for instances of fantasy violence and some coarse language

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was quiet. Not completely silent but, by comparison, it had gotten very quiet. The loudest sounds were his own ragged breaths and the slower, deeper breathing of the massive creature beneath his feet. An ocean of brown fur rose and fell as his old friend, despite his legendary size and power, was starting to show his age a bit. It was barely noticeable, but he was beginning to slow down.

'_Heck, I'm at least a thousand years younger than he is and I'm just about dead on my feet_,' he thought, dismally.

There were other sounds, softer because he was standing so high above the once pristine forest. The crackling of fires that hadn't finished burning themselves out, sheets of ice breaking as they melted in the midday sun, the gentle lapping of water on the shores of a lake that hadn't been their this morning and, every minute or so, another dead tree would fall with the others in the patch of forest still covered by the thick miasma of toxic mist.

As he looked out over the treetops, he couldn't stop his eyes from wandering up to the mountains beyond. Looking at those mountains had always given him a feeling of peace. They stood for safety and security, for protection.

They were the reason he'd slept so soundly as a child, knowing nothing could ever come to hurt him or his parents. As a genin, they inspired him to focus on his training, reminding him that his sensei and teammates would be depending on him when missions forced them to leave the safety of the mountains and travel to lands where they had no protection except each other. During his stint donning the white oni masks of the ANBU Black-Ops, he'd learned every mountain pass and trail and could take comfort in how religiously they were guarded. The genins he'd taken on as a jounin instructor knew them better than their own back yards, considering how much time they'd spent training up there.

When he'd accepted the title of Yamakage, he'd modified the traditional white robes that marked him as the most powerful Shinobi in his village, adding a mountain range in silhouette that circled all the way around the hem. It was a daily reminder that the people now looked to him in the same way that he looked to the mountains. For protection, for security, for the strength it took for them to go about their daily lives.

'_How can I give them that?_' he asked, fists clenched in helpless frustration. '_How can I protect them from something that could shatter these mountains with one sweep of its tail?_'

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The Demon Returns:

No More Sacrifices!

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The monster in front of him just stood there, lips pulled back in a grin that was a hair away from being a snarl. It was the cause of this quiet, and things would stay quiet only as long as it decided not to attack. He'd thrown everything at it. Every jutsu in his arsenal had been laughed off like a minor annoyance. The few wounds he opened would close back up again just as fast. The dark brown, nearly black fur was bristled with excitement at the prospect of more bloodshed, tail twitching with anticipation, but it still held its ground. It was giving them a chance rest. Not out of mercy or compassion, the monster didn't have any use for either.

This was pure ego. It knew they couldn't win, but it was having enough fun to want to drag this fight out a little longer. Unfortunately, even though its body wasn't moving, its mouth was another story.

"**Whenever you can spare the time, gentlemen,"** it growled impatiently. **"I am somewhat behind schedule, you know. Or did you flatter yourselves to think that yours was the **_**only**_** village I intended to raze to the ground today?"**

He fought the urge to look back, to see the dust clouds hanging over the buildings it had already destroyed. Dozens of his Shinobi had already fallen trying to defend the village. How many more were wounded, he had no idea. These were people he had lived and worked with his whole life.

"**Cocky little crap thrower, ain't he?"** the booming voice rumbled through the soles of his shoes, as the ancient warrior spoke.

"Well, we haven't exactly humbled him… yet," he answered, trying to match his comrade's nonchalant tone. "We may have to stop going easy on him."

"**Oh, spare me!"** the monster hooted, guttural laughter rising from its throat. **"You both know you've already exhausted your admittedly impressive knowledge of forbidden jutsu… well… impressive by mortal standards, at any rate. The look on your faces when your precious trump cards failed you, HOHOOHAHAAA! That memory will still bring a smile to this old face centuries after the both of you have departed from this world."**

He couldn't stop the grimace as the monster howled in amusement at its own taunts. It wasn't wrong. If they'd ever had control of this fight, the certainly didn't have it now.

"**It truly pains me that it had to come to this, my boy,"** it said in mock sadness. **"The founder of his hollowed out anthill, the First of your predecessors, knew his place in the presence of the Divine, knew to gain my favor. He served his people by serving my will."**

"At what cost?!" he suddenly found himself shouting, righteous anger burning in his heart. "The Second Yamakage saw the old ways for what they were: barbaric and worthless!"

"**It was hardly worthless, Fourth**," the monster said, darkly. **"One maiden bought my protection for ten years. One small life in exchange for hundreds and you insult me by refusing? You are a fool to believe there can be peace without sacrifice!"**

His answer died on his lips as the thing's words echoed in his mind. In its own twisted way, the monster was right and he knew it. There could be no peace for the Village. Not without sacrifice.

"Bunta," he called softly, facing his friend's wide ear hole in a low crouch. "Can you handle him on your own for a little while?"

"**I could handle him on my own for **_**days**_**, ya dumb blond," **the great creature scoffed, the grim chuckle echoing like an avalanche. **"But, after that, I get a one-way ticket to the Underworld and you're on your own again. You got too many wounded to evacuate, even if you could convince them to leave your little rock pile, which you can't."**

"Just give me forty-five minutes, Bunta," he asked, determined.

"**What could you possibly get done in forty-five minutes that'd stop…?"** the battle-hardened giant's squinting eyes widened as realization dawned. **"No! There's gotta be something else, something we missed!"**

"We wouldn't have to stall for time if there was anything left to do. This is it."

"**Did you even stop and think about what you're leavin' behind?"**

"Yeah, I did," he answered, smiling sadly. "With any luck, I'll leave behind a village where a little boy can grow up safe and happy, surrounded by people that love him."

He brought his hands together and, in a blinding flash, he was gone.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Was it even possible to be bored and terrified at the same time?

'_Of course it is_,' she thought, sullenly. '_Don't forget, Akane, you're a Possible now, and "Anything's possible for Clan Possible." Of course, the only thing they seem to think I can do right now is sit behind a desk. Then again, I only married into the clan two years ago, so the whole omnipotence thing hasn't really had time to take. Right_.'

Dr. Akane Possible, medical-nin, sat behind the front desk of the hospital where she'd worked since graduating from the Academy less than a decade earlier. A below average fighter, she found that she excelled at medical justu, the healing arts being much better suited to her compassionate and gentle nature. Though she was still young, she was considered to be one of the most brilliant kunoichi in her field of study.

'_Not that it makes any difference_,' she grumbled silently. '_They expect me to just sit here, worried out of my mind, and wait for it to be over._'

But then, she knew exactly why couldn't go out on the battlefield with the other medi-nin. Taking in a deep breath, she did her best to calm down. Gently she placed a hand on the fabric of the off white medi-nin tunic covering her rounded stomach, caressing it softly as if to apologize. These stressful thoughts were not good for the baby.

She had been forbidden to go out into the field, not just by her husband, by her own superiors at the hospital. Her "condition" left her in no condition to argue, but she put her foot down when they'd suggested that she follow the civilians into the mountains. The bunkers were deep in the mountain stone, probably the single safest place you could ever need, but she refused to go. No matter what, she was still a medical-nin and she could not just turn her back on her duties.

This was her compromise. Every patient that could be stabilized had been moved to the safety of the bunkers, but there were some that just weren't fit to travel, even if it meant taking their chances with that… thing still on the loose. From the front desk, Akane was able to monitor the vitals of the ones that stayed behind and still be able to watch the front doors on the off chance that there someone came in needing medical attention.

Being only a few weeks from her due date, she couldn't actually bring anyone inside by herself. Her ankles were so swollen she could barely get around on her own, let alone support anyone else. So, she had help. Just outside the glass doors stood one of her chuunin "helpers." The other three would be on the roof scouting the area for signs of life. They were all so young, she had to stop herself from trying to mother them.

'_It's the hormones,_' she reminded herself. '_They're barely six years younger than I am. In fact, if I wasn't currently as big as a house, I bet at least one of them would've asked me out by now. Or at least tried to give me the old "you don't want to die a virgin, do you?" speech._'

Her gallows humor did little to lift her mood. If anything, it made her feel even sorrier for those boys outside. She knew exactly how they were feeling. They were torn, aching to be out there with their comrades on the field of glory but knowing that being left behind might have given them their only shot at living to see another day. She wondered if they resented her, if they were grateful. After all, they were only there because of her. She wasn't going to delude herself into thinking that the chuunin were there looking out for wounded stragglers. If the battle showed any signs of even coming close to the hospital it was their job to get her out as quickly as possible.

"Possible" being the key word once again. Her brother-in-law had set this up for her. She knew it and she knew he'd made her husband beg to make it happen. According to the eldest son and de facto head of the Possible Clan, she should have "learnt her place" by now. Of all the backwards, pig-headed, caveman…

A tapping on the front doors interrupted her thoughts and she looked up to see the door sentry looking very concerned. She smiled sheepishly and gave a little wave, letting him know she was okay.

'_Wonderful,_' she thought, mortified. '_Now I'm scaring the chuunin. Has to be the hormones. I wonder if he thought I was going into labor. Poor guy. I bet the thought of having to deliver a baby is enough to make fighting a Demon look like a walk in the park.'_

She let out a laugh that turned into a sob as she leaned forward, burying her face in her hands. It was no use. No matter what she thought about, it couldn't drive away this nightmare. It couldn't stop her from seeing those front doors open and those chuunin boys dragging in a crushed and bleeding body in a tattered jounin uniform and then she would have to watch the man she loved die right in front of her.

Would her child be born without a father? Would it even be born at all? As much as the possibilities horrified her, the waiting was so much worse.

She wanted, _needed_ something to happen.

"Excuse me."

Her head whipped around so fast she almost threw herself out of her chair. She got a good look at the speaker, and her eyes went even wider. The white robe, contrasting heavily with the simple grey jounin vest and blue bodysuit underneath. That blond hair, a nest of cowlicks sticking out in every direction at once. Those eyes…

"Lord Yamakage?" she gasped in shock. "But you… you were… out there… the Demon… how did…? There were guards outside."

"Oh, they're fine, don't worry," he reassured her. "I found another way in. The hospital seems to be mostly empty. I'm surprised you're still here."

"The others, they're either at the battle or in the mountains," she explained, shaken but recovering. "I'm the only medical-nin here."

"That was very brave of you to stay behind in case something happened," he praised, smiling warmly.

There was something about that smile. Every woman in the village talked about how handsome the Fourth Yamakage was and, looking at him from only a few feet away, it was obviously more than just idle gossip. But it was more than that. His smile was familiar. She'd seen it before, but where?

"What's your name?" he asked her, not giving her a chance to think on it further.

"Akane…" she answered, trying hard not to sound like a blushing fan girl. "Akane Possible."

"Possible?" he repeated, pleased recognition in his voice. "Of course, I remember now. You married into the clan two years ago. I gave a toast at the feast afterwards. Too bad they dragged me back to the office before I could try any of the food. You made a very lovely bride that day."

"Th-thank you," she stammered.

Now she knew she was blushing, probably enough to match the red of her hair. After all, this was the Yamakage! For the most powerful ninja in Land of Mountains to remember all of that after two years, it was overwhelming to say the least.

"Akane," he said, forcing her to look up from the empty spot on her desk she seemed to find so fascinating. "The Middle Village needs your help."

She only looked stunned for a moment before she forced herself to get serious. When the Yamakage starts asking for help, you know there's something big going on. Her eyes followed when his drifted downwards and, for the first time, she noticed he was holding something small wrapped in a white blanket.

"Is that…?" she timidly asked, hoping she was wrong.

"Yeah," he smiled that familiar smile again as he lifted a corner of the blanket, revealing a tiny sleeping face. "He's going to help the village, too. That's why I need you to come along. I need someone to make sure he's safe."

Her heart was pounding now. Now the Yamakage wasn't sure he could protect a newborn baby. This was beyond big. She nodded to him and gripped the arms of her chair as she slowly pushed herself up. When she looked again at the Yamakage, his eyes were about twice their usual size. Following his line of sight, she realized that her very pregnant stomach had been totally hidden under the desk.

"You… you're…?" she found their roles had been reversed as he was suddenly the one stammering like an idiot.

"Lord Yamakage," she interrupted, sharply. "What I am is a medic-nin. The only difference between me and any other kunoichi is that I've had more reason than most to learn how to keep a child healthy."

She didn't need to look in a mirror to know the look she had on her face. Her jounin sensei had always said she got that look whenever she slipped into what he referred to as "mission mode." It was this look that had told her husband that she wasn't going to go into hiding. Not that he'd agreed because of that. For that, she'd just stuck out a quivering bottom lip like a wounded puppy dog until he couldn't do anything but whatever she wanted. And, if it looked like the Yamakage was having second thoughts, she was fully prepared to use it on him, too.

"I guess you're right," he laughed softly, smile back in full force. "Mogurabunta's going to tear me a new one for this, but I don't have time to find anyone else."

The moment she got all the way around the desk, he gently pushed the baby into her arms and surprised her by sweeping her off her feet… literally. He started for the door, carrying her as easily as he'd been carrying the little bundle that was squirming into the warmth of her chest.

"Be careful with him, but hold on tight," he urged her. "I've got you, but I can't take the same shortcut I used to get here, so I need to move fast. Don't worry about holding onto me, just focus on him. Right now, that little guy is the most important person in the village."

He flashed her another smile before he kicked open the door, startling the heck out of the chuunin standing there. With a hastily shouted apology, he rushed past and started tearing through the streets of the village in a dead sprint. Warning her again to hold on, he suddenly shot the three of them up into the air. When they landed on a nearby roof, they only stayed long enough for another jump and soon they were leapfrogging from building to building.

Every once in a while, he'd look down at the two of them, obviously trying to show them that everything was fine. The little one didn't seem to care either way, but it definitely helped her to see him smiling down at her. Then, all at once, something became clear. She knew why that smile was so familiar when this was the first time she'd seen him so close. She'd seen that exact smile dozens of times, ever since she started work at the hospital. Smiles that patients wore when their friends and loved ones came to visit them after… after they found out their conditions were fatal. They didn't smile for themselves, but for the ones they cared about, so they wouldn't feel so bad. It was the smile of someone waiting to die.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Glancing over his shoulder, she could see village shrinking behind them as came down from the leap he'd taken off the East Gate. She kept watching until he took them into the woods and she finally lost sight of it in the trees.

The Village Hidden in the Middle was considered to be one of the most powerful of the hidden Shinobi villages for two main reasons. First was its location, in the dead center of a ring of mountains, which gave the village its name. Of course, these mountains were unique, even here in the Mountain Country. Unless one knew the paths, which were under constant surveillance by members of the Rockwaller Clan and their inescapable Jyakugan eyes, they were all but impossible to cross.

The natural defense they provided was stronger than an army of ninja, which brings us to the second reason. With defenses like these, a village didn't have to worry nearly as much about keeping up with their allies and enemies when it came to sheer numbers.

So, they didn't. The Middle Village, at any given time, had only a fraction of active Shinobi as the other hidden villages. And yet, whenever someone needed to hire ninja, Middle Village ninja were always in the highest demand because it was common knowledge that any one of theirs was worth any three ninja of the same rank from the other villages. Why? None of the others could afford to set their standards for Shinobi anywhere near as high.

Unlike every other hidden village, enrollment at the Ninja Academy was not open to all comers. Those that failed to meet the requirements were turned away, and those that stayed were expected to excel. Those that made it to the Genin Exam had one chance to pass or fail and that was it.

It was all or nothing, no different from any mission they'd ever hope to accept. Graduating classes could have as few as two or three new genins, or even none at all, but the ones that passed didn't disappoint. It rarely took them more than two attempts to make chuunin and more than half went on to become jounin. In fact, despite having fewer Shinobi overall, the Middle Village's stable of jounin, hunter-nin, and ANBU Black-Ops ninja was as large, or larger, than any of their rivals. Shinobi are a nation's weapons, its strength, and their nation was strong.

But, against this Demon, they were nothing.

Akane shuddered involuntarily. She still had trouble taking it all in, everyone did. It was supposed to have stayed one of the village's dirty secrets. The Demon belonged in the past, to the old ways. An intellectual like herself had never really put much stock in the legends. How could she?

It was said that a man called Toshimiru was leading a group of nomads looking to settle in the Mountain Country when he came to a mountain that was so big around that it took a full month just to walk around it and so tall that the peak seemed to scrape against Heaven itself. As the story went, Toshimiru climbed that mountain alone, climbed it to the very top. Now, more than one hundred years later, there wasn't a man or woman left alive to say exactly what happened that day but, according to legend, the whole mountain was bathed in light. When the light faded, they looked in awe as the entire top half of the mountain had vanished completely and their leader was standing before them, holding a sword that glowed with the same light. He took them up the mountain, to a path that he seemed to know by heart, and brought them into the wide, green lands beyond. The settlement they founded there became the Village Hidden in the Middle, and Lord Toshimiru became the First Yamakage.

She, like many others of her generation, had dismissed the idea that the ring of mountains had been formed from one giant peak, using the First Yamakage's "magic" sword, as a simple tall tale. The notion that the "magic" sword had been given to Toshimiru by the guardian spirit of the mountain was just a children's story. So, of course, there was no way that the guardian spirit had continued to protect its territory and demand tribute in the form of sacrifices, right? Two days ago, Akane had been so sure of the answer.

A sound coming from the blanket in her arms immediately got her attention. She couldn't help but smile a little. The baby wasn't even crying, just trying to snuggle in even closer to her body to help fight off the driving wind. In spite of everything going on, this little boy didn't have a care in the world. It made her care that much more.

What could the Yamakage want with a baby? The more she wondered about it, the less sense it made. Gathering her courage, she opened her mouth only to have it snap shut with an audible click when he jumped again, this time bursting through the canopy of leaves. Her eyes quickly readjusted to the daylight, and she felt her question die on her lips as she took in the scene in front of her.

They were enormous, both of them, but that description hardly did them justice. The creatures were large in the same way she might say that a mountain is large or an ocean is large. She idly thought that this must be how insects feel around humans, if they felt anything at all. If they'd stayed still, they would have been awe inspiring, but they moved. And every movement for these giants was a force of nature.

"**Fire Style: Plague of Brimstone Jutsu!"**

A cloud of inky black smoke formed directly overhead before it seemed to open, releasing dozens of white-hot projectiles that screamed down to the forest below before exploding in a deluge of fire.

"**Earth Style: Earth Flow River!"**

The fires were immediately smothered in a surge of rushing mud, putting them out before they could do any more damage.

"**Ice Style: Hail of Spears!"**

"**Earth Style: Great Wall!"**

Spears of solid ice, as thick as a man's arm and twice as long, flew through the air at unreal speeds, only to stick into the massive stone ridge that had suddenly appeared between the two beings.

The humans landed, as softly as a feather on silk, on the ground beside of one of them just as the earthen barrier began to crumble. At first, Akane had thought this one had been smaller than the other but, up close, she realized that it was half buried in dirt and stone. The creature was rounded, the curve of its head and neck continuing all the way down its back to the mud-stained but still oddly regal red sash around its waist that held a sheathed sword almost as tall as Yamakage tower, but even through the thick, tan fur she could see how powerfully it was built.

It was breathing deeply, causing muscles to ripple all over its body, or at least what of it she could see, the lower extremities being underground and its back end covered in dark brown hakama pants tucked into slate-colored leg guards that she could only just make out as they were mostly buried.

Akane was still taking in the sight of it when she suddenly yelped at a sharp pain in her leg. She blushed crimson when she saw the apologetic look on the Yamakage's face.

"Sorry," he said, sheepishly. "But there didn't seem to be any other way to get your attention."

As he set her down gently, she couldn't help the rush of guilt as she wondered what the other women of the village, married or otherwise, would have given to have their upper thigh pinched by the Fouth Yamakage. Before she could say anything, though, she felt the earth rumble as a voice like a boulder being crushed into gravel boomed down at them.

"**You gotta be kiddin' me!"** the creature roared, eyes black as coal focused intently on the Yamakage.

"Bunta, Dr. Akane Possible, medical-nin of the Middle Village," the Fouth said calmly, gesturing first to the furious beast and then to her. "Akane, Mogurabunta, the Chief Mole."

In a flash, Mogurabunta shifted his attention to her, using a snout that was bigger than Akane's first apartment to sniff her curiously. The intakes of breath pulled at her with hurricane force but she stayed on her feet. She was able to get a good look at his face for the first time. The rounded nose with long whiskers stretching out from either side, the ears that were merely indentations of the sides of his head. There was a long cut over one of his dark, squinting eyes that looked fresh, making her wonder at the kind of attack that could wound a creature like this. She watched his thin lips pulled back to reveal his almost comically oversized front teeth as the Mole Chief turned back to the Yamakage with a growl.

"Before you say anything," the Fouth continued, raising his hands in a placating gesture, "she was the only medic-nin at the hospital. The rest of them were in the mountains or on the battlefield. I need them right where they are."

"**Just tell me you didn't pick her so you could have a spare,"** the huge beast grumbled.

'_A spare?_' thought Akane, wide-eyed. '_A spare what?_'

The Yamakage turned her way and she saw the raw pain in his expression. Then, she saw that he wasn't looking at her. Taking a half step back, she clutched the bundle in her arms a little tighter to her.

"I'm sorry I didn't back sooner," he said ignoring both her actions and Mogurabunta's request, as he turned back and looked at the bleeding gash on the mole's face. "Did he hit anything vital?"

"**Little knuckle dragger barely scratched me,"** he answered with a huff. **"And don't change the subject!" **

"She's here to keep him safe, that's all," the Yamakage said, softly. "It's his birthday, you know. Can't let anything bad happen to a kid on his birthday."

Akane looked down, even more confused. The child was born today? Did that have something to do with what the Yamakage had planned? She was about to ask him when the world seemed to explode all around her in a cloud of dust.

"**Terribly sorry, but I was feeling somewhat left out,"** a deep and rasping voice cut through the haze, dripping with a mix of hatred and amusement.

The swirling dust started to fade, leaving Akane to wonder, as impressive as the first creature had been, how she could have ever forgotten about the second. It stood almost a quarter the height of the mountains themselves, taller than any manmade building she'd ever read about. It was wearing antique armor the same deep blue black color as a starless night sky complete with leg guards and arm bracers, over the jet black fur that covered everything else but its paws, feet, and that face. That face, its sunken eyes glowing an icy blue and its lips pulled back showing its horrible teeth. Its tail writhed like a snake behind it, uprooting trees every time it even grazed the ground. The Mystical Monkey… It was everything she'd imagined in her worst fears and more.

Watching as it lowered its already hunched body even further into a low crouch, she felt its eyes as they studied her with the same detached interest that she might study a growth on a patient's skin. Her stomach turned in revulsion and terror as the Demon seemed to smile. The dark mane whipped in the air as it threw its head back and let out a barking laugh that must have echoed for miles.

"**Oh, you little scamp,"** it said, with fondness that sounded totally out of place. **"Trying to fool me into believing you weren't going to offer up a sacrifice. How roguishly underhanded of you. I approve! Now, let's see what you've brought me."**

The Demon turned away from the Yamakage, who had just stood there with his eyes closed the entire time, and returned his attention to Akane.

"**Hmm… very nice. I like the red hair, especially. A lovely face… blue eyes, I certainly have a soft spot for those… and body that's… swollen… with… **_**child**_**? Which, unless I'm mistaken, would make her the **_**exact opposite**_** of a maiden!"**

Akane staggered backwards slightly. She knew that she couldn't run, not without falling and hurting herself or her two precious charges. What was the Yamakage thinking? Why wasn't he doing anything?

"**I assume the child she's carrying **_**outside**_** of her body is still pure,"** the Demon paused for a moment to sniff the air, **"which might have made some difference if the child wasn't **_**male**_**! Honestly, is it so difficult to follow a simple set of instructio--"**

The monkey spirit's ranting was broken by a single, clear voice that overflowed with righteous conviction.

"Sealing Arts: REAPER DEATH SEAL!"

The Demon's eyes shot open as its body lurched forward. Grunting with effort, the Mystical Monkey gripped at anything it could get its tail and both sets of hands to hold onto, as it struggled against some powerful force that Akane couldn't see. She turned to see the Yamakage with his hands extended towards the monster. With a final groan of surprise, the Demon watched in disbelief as a mass of dark blue vapors, something she would later discover was chakra so strong that it was visible, burst from its chest. The vapors rushed out only to converge in a huge sphere directly in front of her village's most powerful Shinobi.

She felt a tug at her arms that she ignored until it suddenly yanked the child out of her hands. When she lunged forward to catch him, she was frozen in shock to see that he wasn't falling. He was floating. Slowly, the blankets fell away, revealing him to her for the first time. His eyes were closed tight against the bright blue light. His blond hair fluttered in the swirling winds. When her eyes fell on his stomach, she gasped at the black ink of the intricate brushwork. A seal…

"**The Reaper's Seal…"** the Demon murmured, watching the last wisps of chakra leaving its body. **"Well played, Fourth."**

The glow faded from its eyes but the cruel grin remained as its body when slack and it fell forward. Akane watched in disbelief as it seemed to dissolve, turning to thick, black smoke before it ever hit the ground. The smoke lingered, almost defiantly, before fading away completely. She looked back at the Yamakage, hoping to ask if it was really over, but stopped short. The ball of dark blue light was still there, pulsing with energy so strong, so dark, that it was almost suffocating her. He was bringing it closer. She shrank back, trying desperately to find words to yell for him to stay away. Then she saw where he was looking.

The baby was still hovering in mid-air when the light shot out from the Yamakage's hands and caught the infant directly in the stomach. The inky black lines of the seal flared a blinding white and chakra sphere started to warp at the point of contact. Akane shielded her eyes with her forearm. When the flash receded, the complex markings glowed the same cold blue as the Demon's eyes before that too started to fade. The seal turned black and time, which had seemed to stand still, was suddenly moving again. The Yamakage gripped his chest in pain and the baby let out a shrill cry, right before they both dropped to the ground like marionettes whose strings had just been cut.

Akane shot forward but couldn't hope to move fast enough as she heard the impact and saw the cloud of dust. At least, she thought it was dust. When the cloud settled, she saw that the infant looked like he was hovering again, now only about six inches above the ground. Cautiously, she reached out for the whimpering child, before snatching him up as quick as her nine-months pregnant body would let her. Looking down at where he'd been, she blinked a few time to be sure she wasn't seeing things. There, standing less than a foot tall with a buck-toothed smile, was a mole. Or, she thought it was a mole. The only hairs on its body were the whiskers on either side of its tiny button nose. Its beady, black eyes shone with intelligence and pride.

"**Rufus?"** asked a booming voice behind them. **"I thought I told you to stay home!"**

With a tiny wave to Akane and the baby, the little mole scampered over to its giant counterpart. In what had to be one of the most adorable she'd ever seen, it ran straight into Mogurabunta's flank, forelegs wide open, and started nuzzling into the tan fur. It was hugging him.

"Hrrnk, Daddy!" she could have sworn she'd heard the little mole say amongst all the squeaking.

Then again, "Daddy" seemed to talk just fine. She'd have to ask the Yamakage how an animal could manage to learn… The Yamakage! She almost sprinted to where her leader had fallen. His hand was still on his chest and his face was still contorted in agony. As gently as she could, she laid the child down. It was time to live up to her reputation as the most promising medic-nin in Middle Village. The familiar green chakra of the standard healing jutsu was just starting to form around her hand when she felt a strong grip on her wrist.

"Don't…" the voice was weak, but commanding. "This isn't like… any injury you've seen… before. No telling… what might happen… if you try."

"W-what are you saying?" her pride was wounded his words. "What kind of injury? Who can heal it?"

"It's not… an injury," he wheezed, that damned smile creeping back onto his lips as he released her. "Not… really. There's no healing… from this. No… recovering."

"No…" she covered her mouth with her freed hand. "NO! Lord Yamakage, you can't say things like that! There has to be some way. Please, let me try something!"

"Made a deal… with Death," said the fallen hero, cryptically.

As if in reaction to his words, the Fourth's whole body seemed to tense. His back arched, raising his chest a few inches off the ground. This turned out to be a bad idea as he fell flat again in a fit of coughing. Visibly forcing himself to relax, he turned his head away from her to spit. The crimson color of it left a chill in the pit of her stomach.

"Akane?" he said, looking up at her as he absently dabbed at the dribble of blood on his lips with his tongue. "I'm sorry to keep doing this to you, but I need your help again."

"Of course, anything," she said and meant it, just so long as it meant he was still talking, still with them.

"Wait until you hear what I'm asking you to do before you agree. It involves convincing the Yamakage to do me one last favor."

"The Yamakage? But… you're…" she knew she was clinging to the last bits of denial, but she didn't care.

"The next one," he patiently explained. "Or, the previous one. I guess both would apply here."

"The Third? Is that what you wanted me to do, convince him to take your… to become Yamakage again?"

"I wouldn't do that to you," he shook his head slightly. "Besides, he knows that I was the only Middle Village ninja stronger than him. Well, the only one stronger that'd ever take the job, at any rate. No, he's going to accept without anyone having to convince him. That actually makes what I'm asking of you a little more complicated. I can't imagine our 'Master Sensei' is going to be too enthusiastic about helping me out when I'm the one cutting his retirement short, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd try…"

Mogurabunta sat back on his haunches, his head raised a respectable distance above the two Middle-nins. Not that it mattered. He couldn't help but hear everything they were saying, his acute sense of hearing being one of the things that made up for his poor eyesight, so the polite thing to do was to pretend that he didn't. The only way to give the humans any real privacy was taking his leave, and that was something he just couldn't do.

He had to stay. As unbelievable as it sounded, that aggravating little blond biped was as close to being family as any surface dweller could get. Ever since the Fouth Yamakage, who at the time had been nothing more than a skinny kid carrying around a mountain of untapped potential, had signed his name in blood on the summoning contract, he'd been the best henchman Mogurabunta could have wanted. He was leaps and bounds above his good for nothing jackass of a sensei, at any rate. Not exactly a difficult feat, though. Just thinking about that greasy, big-haired lecher was making his skin crawl. Or maybe that was just Rufus climbing up onto his head.

"Hello!" chirped the tiny pink rodent.

"**Dang it all, boy!"** the Chief Mole grunted in surprise. **"Somebody ought'a put a bell around your neck. You know darn well not to sneak up on your Pa like that."**

"Hnn… Sorry," Rufus whined, beady eyes wide with unshed tears.

"**Aw, shucks… I never could stay mad at you. You know your Ma's gonna kill me for lettin' you follow me up here, don't you? And another thing, what do you gotta come up here all the time for, anyway? Back home you got your tunnelin', your diggin', and all the invertebrates you can eat."**

"Nnnn, grubs…" the moles hairless skin started looking a little green. "Yuk! Phooey!"

"**All right then, what's this place got that you can't get underground?"**

"Cheese!"

"**That boy ain't right," **Mogurabunta grumbled softly.

"Bunta?" the weak, rasping voice got his attention immediately.

"**I'm here,"** the great beast leaned in close, stopping when his snout was less than an arm's length away.

"Hey, Boss," the Yamakage said grinning. "Looks like you were right. In the end, all those fancy jutsu didn't do me any good. But, I did okay, didn't I?"

"**You did great,"** he answered with unusual warmth. **"Fought him the way we used to back in the good old days before you humans showed and mucked everything up."**

"We do muck things up, don't we?" the Fourth chuckled. "It's been an honor serving as your henchman, Boss."

"**It's too bad you were born human, kid. You would'a made a terrific mole."**

"You know," the ninja mused, "that's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me. Heck, I bet it's the nicest thing you've ever said to anybody other than Mrs. Bunta."

"**Heh, ya got that right,"** the mole laughed out loud, the sound ringing through what was left of the forest.

"I was hoping to get a last request," the Yamakage continued once the laughter had died down. "You know, in honor of my years of loyal service?"

"**Name it." **

"Thanks, Bunta. First, please get Akane and the boy back to the Village as quickly and as safely as you can. She's not really in any condition to walk."

"**Done,"** the Chief Mole said immediately. **"I would'a done it anyway. It wasn't her fault that the strongest ninja in the strongest Village in the Five Shinobi Nations couldn't get the job done without involvin' somebody in her third trimester. Poor little thing looks just about ready to pop. Honestly, what kind of mole do you take me for?"**

"Yeah, well that wasn't really the request, considering your wife would have turned you into a big furry hat if you hadn't. I need you to get Sensei to summon your family to help rebuild the village and maybe even patrol the borders until the survivors recover."

"**That's a lot to ask, kid,"** Mogurabunta said, trying and failing to sound angry. **"You know me and that lunkhead don't get along. Besides, what makes you think he'd even come back to summon us?"**

"The same reason you're going to let him," he answered confidently. "It's for a good cause."

"**Fine, but if that idiot tries to get any of my kin to tunnel him into the women's bath house, I'm squishin' him. Flat."**

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Bunta."

"**You… we…"** the rumbling voice faltered. **"I'm not gettin' any younger, you know. So, I guess I'll be seein' you."**

"Don't hurry on my account. Your family needs you. And trust me when I say that leaving them behind isn't going to be easy. Akane…?" the Fourth turned his head back to face her with some difficulty. "Could you…"

Another coughing fit. No blood this time, but it left him gasping.

"Could I…? What? Could I _what_?" her voice was frantic now, hot tears falling freely. "Tell me! What can I do?"

"Could… you bring him… here… for me?"

"Bring him…?"

His hand, lifted a few inches from where it lay on the ground. Following his outstretched fingers, she looked down to see the child, still whimpering, nearly forgotten in her arms. She looked back at the Yamakage. He nodded, the simple effort making him wince. Lifting the baby in front of her, she took a closer look.

His eyes were wide open, now. It hurt her to look in the big brown orbs, to see the fear there. As she sat there, looking into his face, she noticed three black dots on each of his cheeks, marks she knew hadn't been there before. Most people would mistake them for freckles, but they were much too dark, especially for a newborn. Another rasping breath beside her shook her out of her musings. She set him down on the Fouth's chest and, when she saw the trouble he was having, took the man's hand and brought it up to help him cradle the infant. He just held him there for a moment, the tension in his muscles visibly relaxing, until his breathing was under control.

"Happy Birthday, little guy," he whispered fondly, softly stroking the baby's hair. "Sorry I couldn't get you a better present, but I hope you'll like it a lot better once you grow into it. When you get older, some people are going to probably have a few things to say about it, they might even call you a human sacrifice.

"Don't let 'em. There's been enough sacrifice in your life already and you're barely a day old. Your momma gave up her life so you could see this world, then I come along and give up mine so you can keep on seeing it. You're no sacrifice.

"Oh, I almost forgot... your other present. Good thing I didn't, your momma would've killed me all over again when I see her in the afterlife. It's right here in my vest pocket… and... um…Akane? Little help? My arms don't seem to want to cooperate."

She'd been listening the whole time, trying as hard as she could to keep from sobbing out loud. Until he'd spoken to her, she'd been torn between her duty to protect the child and the feeling that she was intruding on something she shouldn't. The warmth in his tone put her mind to rest and she started going through the assorted pouches. From one of the larger ones, she pulled out what she thought was a handful of kunai knives. Looking closer, it was really a single kunai with three blades and a scroll wrapped around the handle.

"That's it," he said with satisfaction. "Thank you."

'_This is it?_' she thought, confused. '_I know we come from a Shinobi village, but what kind of mother gives her newborn son a weapon for his first birthday?_'

Turning it over in her hands, her eyes stopped on the center blade. Someone had carved a single word into the flat of the blade in beautiful calligraphic script. She ran her fingers over the detailed work and couldn't feel a single rough edge or stray mark.

"I know what you're thinking," he continued, a hint of playfulness in his tone. "Your unbelievably cool mom got you your first ninja weapon when all the other kids your age are getting stuffed animals and footie pajamas. Well, it's not a toy. If you're not careful, you could poke out both eyes and give yourself a frontal lobotomy all at the same time. In fact, you should probably let a grown-up hold onto it for a little while until you can handle it right.

"But, don't worry, it's yours. Your momma spent all that time carving your name in it for you."

The Yamakage gave a short laugh that made him tense up again. He was able to relax again in less time than it had before, and Akane knew what it meant. There was barely enough strength left in his body to react to the pain.

"I'm sorry we won't get the chance to get to know each other better, kid," his voice seemed thicker, the words only coming with effort. "You strike me the type of guy that winds up changing everything, beating all the odds and doing the things they say nobody can. I mean look at what you did today.

"I… We are proud of you. And we're going to be watching over you, and I know you're going to keep making us proud. You're a hero."

His next words were too soft for her to hear, but she didn't strain to listen. She felt like she was intruding enough as it was. Overhead, she heard the Chief Mole talking to the little one. She did her best to focus on that.

"**Listen, you want stay up here, right?"** Bunta asked it. **"Get a chance to eat some more of that… ugh… cheese?"**

She was too far away to hear its answer, but she could just make out the frantic nodding of its tiny head.

"**Fair enough. I'll let you stay but, if you do, you have to do something for me, okay? That little human down there, you did a good job catchin' him like that. Shows you were payin' attention."**

Again, she couldn't make anything out, if the thing could even speak in the first place. She thought she could read some confusion in its posture, though.

"**Well that runt just got the short end of the stick about as bad as a snail livin' in a salt mine and he needs somebody to look after him. Can you do that for me, son?"**

This time, she didn't even wait to see how the hairless mole reacted. A shrill cry brought her back down to the scene in front of her. The same child the two creatures were discussing was crying. Her colleagues, especially those in obstetric and pediatric specialties would have told her that a one-day-old infant crying was the most natural thing in the world. They wouldn't have given any real significance to it at all.

Fools.

She knew exactly why the child was crying. Lifting him gently to her shoulder, she reached down again and brushed her hand over the Fourth Yamakage's face, closing those warm brown eyes for the very last time. As she clutched the baby against her chest, she felt her own tears beginning to form. A good man had battled against the darkness out of love for his people, and now his light was gone forever. Who wouldn't cry?

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**Author's Note: **How could I not? I know this cross has been done before, and I know why. The parallels are darn near eerie.

Blond kid with a big, goofy grin and three marks on either cheek is frequently ignored but somehow winds up saving the day with the help of an animal-themed supernatural power?

Like I said, how could I not? This was the second fan story idea I ever had. I'll acknowledge that a lot of others beat me to the punch on it, but I'd like to think mine is a bit distinctive in its own way. First, it's a pure fusion. There's no Middleton, just the Village Hidden in the Middle. That's the second thing, the fact that I've altered the details from Naruto to fit more with the KP Universe.

I thought having the Mystical Monkey being an actual beast sealed in a child was pretty inspired, if I do say so myself.

Of course I'd like feedback on the story, what you like and what you don't, but I'm going to ask something specific that will greatly affect how you're going to be reading it over the long haul, and I do hope it's long.

I've read enough Naruto fics to get that there are four main dialect styles that writers use.

**Pure English: Everything is translated, no matter how much is lost in the process**

Sakura: Naruto, you idiot! How did Sasuke end up in this giant pit?  
Naruto: Er… Sorry, Sakura. Our teacher Kakashi told me that, if I could knock Sasuke down without using my Shadow Clone Technique, he'd finally start teaching me some new moves. Believe it!  
Kakashi: _Earth Style: Inner Decapitation Technique!_ Naruto, I meant that you should use hand-to-hand fighting techniques to try and take down Sasuke. Now, until he climbs out of there, you're going to stay buried up to your neck in the ground while I read passages to you from Make Out Paradise.  
Naruto: Damn it! The Village Hidden in the Leaves Sucks!

**Anime Dub: A few honorifics and Japanese terms are left un-translated for authenticity**

Sakura: Naruto, you idiot! How did Sasuke end up in this giant pit?  
Naruto: Er… Sorry, Sakura. Kakashi-sensei told me that, if I could knock Sasuke down without using my Shadow Clone Jutsu, he'd finally start teaching me some new moves. Believe it!  
Kakashi: _Earth Style: Inner Decapitation Jutsu!_ Naruto, I meant that you should use Taijutsu to try and take down Sasuke. Now, until he climbs out of there, you're going to stay buried up to your neck in the ground while I read passages to you from Icha Icha Paradise.  
Naruto: Damn it! The Village Hidden in the Leaves Sucks!

**Get a Dictionary: All the moves, city names, and honorifics are in the original Japanese**

Sakura: Naruto-baka! How did Sasuke-kun end up in this giant pit?  
Naruto: Er… Sorry, Sakura-chan. Kakashi-sensei told me that, if I could knock Sasuke-teme down without using my Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, he'd finally start teaching me some new moves. Believe it!  
Kakashi: _Doton: Shinju Zanshou no Jutsu!_ Naruto, I meant that you should use Taijutsu to try and take down Sasuke. Now, until he climbs out of there, you're going to stay buried up to your neck in the ground while I read passages to you from Icha Icha Paradise.  
Naruto: Damn it! Konohagakure no Sato sucks!

**Turning Japanese: Japanese words are used as often as possible**

Sakura: Naruto-baka! How did Sasuke-kun end up in this giant pit?  
Naruto: Ano… Gomen, Sakura-chan. Kakashi-sensei told me that, if I could knock Sasuke-teme down without using my Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, he'd finally start teaching me some new moves. Dattebayo!  
Kakashi: _Doton: Shinju Zanshou no Jutsu!_ Naruto, I meant that you should use Taijutsu to try and take down Sasuke. Now, until he climbs out of there, you're going to stay buried up to your neck in the ground while I read passages to you from Icha Icha Paradise.  
Naruto: Kuso! Konohagakure no Sato sucks!

The style I'm currently using is "Anime Dub," considering that I'm the most familiar with it and it doesn't require as much use of reference materials. If you all feel that I should change it to something else, I will. You'll notice that Mrs. Dr. P wasn't given the traditional name of "Anne" in my fic. I plan on altering a few (not all) of the other characters in a similar way, especially when the series didn't bother to name them.

This was a lot of… something to write, and the good news is that I have more waiting to be posted. I just want to get some idea of what you all think before I do.

May blessings flow down upon you with the gentle kiss of a cascading avalanche

-Brother Bludgeon

_Kim Possible_ created by Mark McCorkle and Robert Schooley.  
_Naruto _created by Masashi Kishimoto


	2. No Claim on the Child: Family is First

Rated T for coarse language, fantasy violence, and some adult themes

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"What times are these that the withered oak remains standing only to see the young forest consumed in fire?"

The old man's voice was tired as he looked out over the village through the large windows of the Yamakage's office. His eyes were a mess of bags and crow's feet under thick eyebrows the same bone white color of his flowing beard and tight knot of hair at the very top of his wrinkled head. Despite all this, he seemed to carry himself in a way that defied his age. Shoulders back, head unbowed, his posture gave off an air of great power under control. It would not last long.

Soon, his shoulders would stoop as his deep blue high-collard robes were covered over in white. His head would, once again, feel the crushing weight of that wide-brimmed hat bearing the symbol for "Mountain" that marked him as the leader and protector of his people.

"You may not be aware of this, but my son's wife is also with child," he continued, still staring down at the damaged cityscape. "It is my shame to admit that the final ambition of my life was nothing more than to live out my remaining years as a doting grandfather."

Sighing he turned, facing the red-haired medi-nin who was currently seated in one of the office's more comfortable chairs. In her arms, she was unconsciously rocking the infant she hadn't set down once in more than six hours since the Chief Mole had dropped her off directly in front of the Middle Village General Hospital. Needless to say, the chuunin guarding the door had been a little surprised. They'd taken her to the Yamakage Tower immediately… after a slight detour to their barracks for some clean underwear.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of," she said, sympathy clear in her tone as well as a hint of guilt. "Please, sir. Don't blame the Fourth Yamakage for what he did. I'm sure, if there was any other way…"

"It is not my desire to place blame, Mrs. Possible," the Third interjected, gently. "Though, if it was, I could just as easily turn to my predecessors, the First for his dealings with the Mystical Monkey, or the Second for not banishing its evil completely. Even I am not blameless. We were ill prepared to face this threat in part because of my insistence that the old ways be forgotten completely. In the end, the one responsible has only begun to receive its just punishment."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

No Claim on the Child:

Family Comes First

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

At his words, confusion showed on her face before her eyes widened and she seemed to shrink away from him. The old man's brows raised in surprise before he realized his mistake. He was about to correct his hasty words when the office door burst open, revealing a thin man with short, brown hair wearing jounin uniform being restrained by black clad ANBU.

"AKANE!" he shouted desperately, eyes frantic and searching even as he struggled.

"James?" her head whipped around, auburn hair trailing like the tail of a comet. "James, I'm here!"

She turned clumsily, unable to use her hands to rise from her chair but needing to run into his arms as sure as she needed her next breath of air. The moment he saw her struggling to her feet, the highly trained Black-Ops Shinobi didn't stand a chance. A rush of chakra flowed through his limbs and they were sent flying to the far walls before they had a chance to blink. She was barely standing when he blurred in front of her, drawing her close as gently as he could and whispering words of love to her that seemed to run together in a mess of incredibly sweet nonsense.

"Akane…" he said, finally speaking with some clarity, as he pulled back to look at her and noticed the tiny blond head of hair poking from a rather obviously shaped blanket. "Akane?"

"Good," the Third chimed in, not waiting for her answer as he made a gesture to his ANBU guards that he was in no danger. "You've returned. I assume that your search yielded the results we expected?"

"I… Yes, Lord Yamakage," he said uncertainly. "There was no trace of the Demon's body. We believe that the disappearance might have something to do with the black smoke we saw hovering over the eastern forests."

"The body turned into smoke," added Akane in a rushed whisper. "After the Fourth finished the seal, it turned to smoke and then it just faded away. I was there, I saw it! The Mystical Monkey is gone!"

"You were… there?" her husband asked in disbelief. "What do you mean you were there? Damn it, Akane, we talked about this! What if something happened to you? To the baby?"

His harsh, angry words were suddenly drowned out by the piercing wail of the infant in her arms. The rocking motions of Akane's arms became slightly more determined as she made soft shushing noises and tried to comfort the little one, stopping only momentarily to send a glare at the one who'd woken him up.

Absolutely furious only a few seconds before, the poor jounin found himself hopelessly lost and looking to the Yamakage for answers. The old man smiled in understanding and placed a comforting hand on the man's shoulder. It only managed to confuse him further when his wife's expression turned fearful and she quickly maneuvered him in between them.

"Forgive me, Lord Yamakage," he said, "but I can't make heads or tails of any of this."

"All shall become clear momentarily," promised the old man. "Your wife has performed a great service, both for my successor in the mantle of Yamakage and the Middle Village as a whole."

From there, he began to tell the story as he understood it, with Akane interjecting whenever she felt that the Yamakage might have been unfair to the Fourth. The shocked looks from her husband, as much for the mind-boggling events being related as for her blatant disrespect, were met with a wave the of old Shinobi's hand communicating that no offence was taken. It was when he had arrived at the point in the story were the Mystical Monkey was sealed that Akane joined her beloved in stunned silence.

"When I implied that the guilty party had only begun his punishment, I believe that Akane mistakenly believed I was speaking of the child." The old man smiled when the young mother-to-be slowly stepped out from behind her husband. "The Reaper Death Seal is a forbidden jutsu, one to be used only when all other options have been exhausted."

"It's because it's fatal to the one using the jutsu, isn't it, Lord Yamakage?" James deduced, basing it on what he'd heard regarding the Fourth's death.

"That is correct," the Third continued, gravely. "At the cost of his own life, a Shinobi is given the power to utterly destroy his opponent, so long as he possesses sufficient strength of will. However, there are certain complications that arise when performing this technique against something with the raw power of a Demon.

"In cases where the target's chakra is overwhelming, an intermediary is required so that the excess chakra may be drained. The younger the intermediary, the less developed its chakra network will be, lowering the inherent risk to almost non-existent if the child is newly born. When the jutsu is performed by a Seal Master, like the Fourth, the results are most astounding."

"How so?" asked Akane warily, not thrilled that there had been any risk to the baby at all.

"In this child's case," the aged ninja explained, sounding more bittersweet than happy, "the Eight Trigrams Seal will not only contain the Mystical Monkey, but will gradually convert the creature's demonic chakra into the child's own natural chakra reserves. The one responsible, the Demon, will receive his punishment as its very essence is slowly eaten away. I believe that, in fewer than three decades, there will be nothing left of the Mystical Monkey except a fair-haired young man with access to more chakra than that of a kage-level Shinobi."

"So, you're not going to hurt him?" she asked before she could stop herself, already feeling guilt at assuming the Yamakage would punish the child for something that wasn't his fault.

"Certainly not, Mrs. Possible," he said, his tone forgiving. "He has received more than his share of misfortune already. We were able to locate his mother a short time ago."

"The Fourth said that she had died giving birth," she recalled from the man's last words to the boy.

"Indeed, she had. She was discovered in a private medical suite in the basement of the hospital. Her records contained only the barest information, despite the fact that her presence here had already been classified an S-Class secret. She is listed in the charts as 'Patient Uzumaki,' but it is likely to be a false name. There has not been anyone by that name living in the Middle Village for some time. If the child is truly an Uzumaki, there will be no one to claim him."

"I claim him!" medi-nin shouted suddenly, her eyes blazing like blue fire.

"Akane!" her husband gasped in shock.

"He needs me, James!" she pleaded. "He needs us, a family. He doesn't have anyone else in the world, the Yamakage just said so."

"He's not your responsibility," he countered. "We have our own little one on the way. Shouldn't we focus on that?"

"There is wisdom in his words, Mrs. Possible," commented the old man. "I am sure the Fourth would not have expected you to care for the child. He will find care and shelter at the orphanage."

"With how many others?" she asked defiantly. "The Demon has killed dozens of Shinobi since it returned to the village. If we put this baby in an orphanage, as overcrowded as it's going to be, it could be years before anyone adopts him. There isn't much I can do for those other children, but I will not let this one suffer because I wasn't willing to do the right thing."

"You'll do what's right by the Possible Clan," said a voice behind her, the familiar gritty twang making her teeth clench. "And that's for me to decide."

They turned to see a man wearing robes of fine red silk and a stern expression sending three masked Shinobi into the far wall with a single hand strike. One could see his resemblance to the young jounin in the office, despite his much narrower face and thick, bushy moustache. Behind him, a lovely young woman with lightly tanned skin followed with an almost apologetic expression. Again, the Yamakage had to gesture to his ANBU guard not to attack, though he could sense their frustration at this second interruption.

"Lord Possible," he said, civilly, "I am surprised you do not have more pressing matters elsewhere."

"I hear that one of my in-laws was out on the battlefield carrying a future member of my clan, there ain't any more pressing matters," he answered. "Now, what's this I hear about babies and orphanages, and what're you doing holding that little runt, Akane?"

"Slim…" the jounin began softly, stepping between his wife and brother.

"You don't speak lessin' I'm talking to you, Jiro!" the clan head shouted.

"Yes, Lord Taro," he said, meekly as he bowed his head and stepped aside.

'_Jiro and Taro,_' she thought, seething at the display. '_"Second born" and "first born." What was it that made their father give them those names? Did he think they could ever forget, when a few years difference in age made one brother a prince and the other little more than a slave? Second born or not, James was the name his mother gave him, and James is the name of the man I married. And first born or not, there's no way I'm backing down._'

"This child was put under my care by the Fourth Yamakage," said Akane, looking her brother-in-law dead in the eye. "Children have been adopted into the clan before. There's no reason for you to get involved with any of this."

The elder Possible glared down at her for a moment, regarding her with the same disapproval as a rancher would a wild horse that refused to be broken. He moved like he was about to raise a hand to her when he felt a gentle pressure on his shoulder. Breathing deeply, he let his wife's touch calm him before turning to face his younger brother.

"Well?" he asked, expectantly. "There a reason for me to get involved with any of this?"

Head bowed, Jiro's confliction warred across his features before they settled down into a look of shamed surrender.

"The boy is the vessel of the Mystical Monkey," he answered, his voice hollow.

"James!" Akane shouted, wide-eyed. "Taro, this child is completely innocent. He didn't have a say in any of this!"

"The Fourth Yamakage used a sealing technique that converts the Demon's chakra into the boy's own chakra," the jounin continued, eyes shut tight as the guilt washed over him.

"Exactly," his wife cut in, hopefully. "He'll be a powerful addition to the clan. You can't deny that."

"You expect me to just sit back and let you bring a monster into my house?" Taro asked, his question dripping with implications. "What if the seal breaks? What if it weren't any good in the first place? Naw, I ain't letting that thing anywhere near my family."

"I met him for the first time today, but we've been through enough together that I consider him as much mine as the one I'm carrying inside me," she growled. "You have no right to try and take him away from me."

"Don't suppose I do," he said, dangerously. "Fine, you keep him. But, you're out. Out of the clan, out of my house, out of my sight. For good. Jiro stays. And any child he fathered stays with him."

"Taro…" the Lady Possible murmured behind him, paling at what her husband had just said.

Akane's head lowered, until it bowed like her own husband's. When she looked back up, her eyes were furious, even as they were swimming with tears. She looked with unmasked hatred at the man who would make her choose between the boy she'd come to cherish as her own and _both_ the love of her life and the child of their flesh.

"Damn you," she whispered.

"Mrs. Possible..." the Third began, hesitantly. "… Akane, I understand your motivations completely. You have bonded to the child, and would undoubtedly provide him with a mother's love and a happy family if you were able."

"Then let me," she begged. "Please... You're the Yamakage, you can--"

"He can't," said Taro, flatly. "This is clan business. He won't interfere because he needs the support of all the big families if he wants to rebuild the Village. Go up against a clan like the Possibles, the others get mad and maybe they write off Middle Village as a total loss and find someplace else to live. Ain't that right, Lord Yamakage?"

There was a silence as the old man stared into the clan head's eyes, his aged body giving off waves of killer intent that gave even the ANBU chills in the pits of their stomachs before he finally sighed and let his body droop. Shaking his head, he cursed his own powerlessness once more that day.

"Akane, you have my word that I will find the child a suitable home," he offered quietly, wincing like he'd just been slapped when the young medical-nin turned away from him, quietly sobbing.

"Uh… Lord Yamakage?"

Again, they turned to the office door to find the source of the interruption. The Yamakage looked to his ANBU guards with a look that practically screamed _"You couldn't have at least tried to stop this one?" _to which the lead guard merely smirked behind the white tengu mask he wore and shrugged as if to say _"Sorry, but there are some things even we can't protect you from."_ Standing in the doorway was a chuunin, shorter than average and slightly out of shape, in his mid to late-thirties with glasses and sandy blond hair. In his hands was a stack of paperwork almost three feet high.

"I assume those documents demand my attention," said the Yamakage, wearily.

"Well, yes they do, Lord Yamakage," the chuunin answered, apprehensively. "We, myself and the other actuary-nins, were able to calculate the projected risks for the… um… the Demon Extermination Mission. We need your approval in order to pay the salaries of the Shinobi that survived and… the families of the one's that didn't."

"Of course," the old man nodded solemnly before gesturing to the large, currently empty, desk.

The actuary-nin quickly shuffled over, laying the paperwork on the polished marble, but he didn't leave immediately afterwards. This caught the Third's attention, as the chuunin simply stood there trying to gather the courage to speak.

"Was there something else?" the Yamakage asked patiently, after nearly a full minute had passed in silence.

"I… you see…," he nervously adjusted his glasses as he struggled to find the words. "I couldn't help overhearing, you need someone to adopt a baby don't you?"

"This is so," the old man acknowledged, carefully. "Though I wonder exactly how much you could not help but overhear."

"All of it, I think," he sheepishly admitted. "I've been standing outside the door for the last half hour, trying to wait until you were finished. I heard the part about the Mystical Monkey, what the Fourth Yamakage did, something about a special seal making some kind of ninja superbaby."

"That is essentially correct. And you still wish to adopt the child?"

"Yes," he answered, for the first time sounding confident. "My wife and I have been trying for a baby since a few years after we got married. It's been almost a decade and we've been seriously considering adoption. Now, we have the chance to raise a child of our own and help the Village doing it."

He approached Akane, asking her with his eyes if he could see the boy. Hesitantly, she shifted him in her arms until his little face was open for the chuunin to see. The two blonds regarded each other for a moment, and the larger one smiled. She knew she had no say, not really. Two paths lay in front of the child, either alone in some orphanage or with this chuunin and his wife. It was the smile that convinced her. That smile was the one she knew she'd soon see on her husbands face when their own child was born.

"May I hold him?" he asked.

The nod was difficult, but she managed it. Handing him over was even worse, but she did. As she backed away, she felt familiar arms wrapping around her from behind. She didn't blame her husband for what he'd done. She couldn't, not when she knew the sad truth of clan life. Besides, she needed him now more than ever.

"Hello, son," the blond chuunin spoke warmly to the squirming bundle he cradled in his arms. "Do you have a name yet?"

"Yes," said Akane, softly.

She reached down, lifting the material of her tunic to reveal a hidden pouch on her hip. Reaching inside, she brought out the three-bladed kunai and held it up for everyone to see. The single, delicately carved word stood out on the center blade.

_Rondo_

"Rondo? I wonder what it means?" the chuunin asked.

"It's a musical term," answered the medi-nin, distantly. "There are two main aspects to it. First, the rondo form, a musical structure that, no matter much its musical themes change, will always return to the original refrain. Then, the rondo character, it keeps a tempo that's swift, full of life. Just like a little boy should be."

"Hmm… Rondo… Ronnie… Ron. I like it," he said, cheerfully. "I can't wait to see the look on my wife's face when she comes home to find the two of us waiting for her."

"Wait," the Third spoke up, confused. "Do you intend to adopt the child without informing your wife beforehand?"

"This'll be my way of telling her," he said simply.

"Welcome to the family, Ron Stoppable."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_More than four years later_

"I felt it, I felt it!" the little girl squealed. "I felt baby sister kick!"

Giggling, she pulled back her hand from her mother's stomach and looked up with a wide smile. Smiling right back, her mother squeezed her other hand fondly and together they continued on towards their destination.

Time had moved on for the Village Hidden in the Middle. Homes were rebuilt, loved ones where mourned, and everywhere signs of new life were springing up. Walking hand in hand down the main street of the village, the two redheads made quite the pair. The elder one, looking positively regal even this close to her due date, wore a beautiful lavender kimono befitting a member of one of the Middle Village's Great Clans, while her daughter's kimono was a vibrant teal that set off her bright, green eyes adorably. It was times like these that Akane would whisper silent thanks to the ones that had made all of this possible.

She had never forgotten, would never forget. She knew exactly what it had cost to save them.

'_And what did I do to repay them?'_ Akane thought, sadly.

After the Stoppables had accepted Rondo into their family, all that was left for her was to persuade the Third Yamakage to grant the Fourth his last request. The old man had resisted, but she'd been determined and, in the end, she'd convinced him.

'_I convinced him and single-handedly ruined the boy's life.'_

She knew that the Fourth felt horrible about involving Rondo in the battle, she had heard as much from the man himself. That was probably what motivated him to ask that particular favor. It seemed harmless enough. One simple message for his people:

"I'm not the hero today," he'd said. "He is. And every day he lives is another day he saves the lives of every man, woman, and child in this village."

And so, on the day the Third Yamakage took on the responsibility of the Village Hidden in the Middle for the second time, he made a single speech. In that speech, he explained everything that'd happened that day in the Eastern forest.

He explained that the Fourth hadn't been fighting the Demon alone, that he had found help from an unlikely source, a newborn child.

Then, he explained that the Demon hadn't been destroyed like they all had assumed. That it lived on inside the body of that same newborn child.

Her heart had broken that day, as choruses of "Kill the Demon brat!" rang in her ears.

If that wasn't difficult enough, it seemed that the Mystical Monkey wasn't content to rest peacefully. The boy suffered unbelievable night terrors, the worst of which put fear in even the hearts of the Shinobi sent to guard him. Killing intent too powerful to be human seemed to leak out of his every pore.

In three and a half years, the Stoppables hadn't let anyone into their home unless it was authorized by the Yamakage. She had only been able to see the boy when they brought him by the hospital for his regular check ups.

He'd stopped coming to those two years ago.

About her own life, Akane could hardly complain. Her work at the hospital was exciting and challenging, her husband was just as loving as ever, and her little girl was the shining star of the Possible Clan, spreading happiness and hope for the future. They were even expecting another new edition to their family, one that her daughter had firmly decided would be her new baby sister.

Five years before, it was all she ever could have wanted. Now, it only made her feel even guiltier whenever she thought about him. She felt a tug on her arm, breaking her stride and her concentration. A few steps behind her, the little girl stared upwards with wide eyes.

"Do I have to go in there, Mommy?" she asked, her voice quivering slightly.

Akane looked and saw that, sure enough, they'd arrived some time during her extended guilt trip. They stood in front of a brightly painted building, the words "Middle Village Pre-School" tacked up on the roof in big block letters.

"Kim…" she began gently, leaning close because she couldn't exactly kneel down in her condition.

"I could stay with you and take care of you when Daddy's away on a mission," added the child, excitedly. "And after baby sister is born, I can stay and take care of her when you go to work!"

"Kimiko," her voice was firmer this time. "We talked about this. I know you're scared that you won't make any friends, but you should remember what your Daddy says."

"Always say 'Please and Thank you?'" asked Kimiko, confused at what this had to do with making friends.

"No, Kimi," she answered patiently. "The other thing he says."

"That the weird lady with the green skin doesn't wear any underwear?"

"No…" her mother answered through clenched teeth, making a mental note to _encourage_ her husband to make sure to check for little ears before describing the lewd habits of his coworkers. "The _other_ thing his says. 'Anything's possible for Clan Possible.'"

"But what if nobody else wants to play with me?" the little girl asked, grasping at Akane's kimono. "What if they make me sit all alone by myself?"

"That's silly, Kimiko. Why would you think they would do that?"

"Because," she said, pointing through the wrought iron fence that separated the school playground from the street, "they already did it to that little boy."

Akane arched an eyebrow before she took a glance at where her daughter was pointing. There, on the swing set, a little boy did seem to be all by himself, watching the other children play around him. Her pulse quickened when she saw the mess of blond hair but, when he turned his head their way, she had to grab onto the metal gate to keep herself from falling.

His eyes were big and brown, and he had three uncommonly dark freckles on each cheek.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Mogurabunta: **Rufus!**

Rufus: Hrnk, Daddy?

Mogurabunta: **I thought I told you to keep an eye on that boy.**

Rufus: Uh-huh, uh-huh!

Mogurabunta: **Well, get your hairless li'l hind end in gear, he's under attack!**

Rufus: Nnnnk, nuh-unh. Playtime.

Mogurabunta: **Playtime!?! What kind of idiot creatures let their young'uns play a game like that? Oh, wait. Humans.**

_Next time on Badical Nindo:_

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The Warmest Eyes:

We'll Play by Our Own Rules!

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**Author's Note:** Yowza. I really wasn't expecting the outpouring of positive feedback. Believe me, folks, it's truly appreciated. I'm updating sooner than I usually do for two main reasons.

1. I'm writing shorter chapters. True, there's less to read at one time, but you get it sooner. And you have to live with a few more cliffhangers.

2. I wanted to wait until I got five reviews (good or bad) before I updated. Turns out, I end up with six. Your outpouring of love has been duly noted.

As you can see, I decided to stick with the Anime Dub style. The only votes on the subject suggested I do so, and I hate to disappoint. This one might have been a little slow. Don't worry, our little buffoon will be spicing things up soon enough.

Special thanks to **RSfan** (How can anyone watch the Ron v. Warhawk smackdown and **not** think of anime?), **CajunBear73** (No way I could've written Rufus out of this one), **Miguel Dubón** (Poetic? Dude, I just hit stuff), **Mr. Wizard** (All will be explained, hopefully to your satisfaction), **necro-wulf** (I feel giddy, Oh so giddy… Seriously, reviews like these are my drugs), and **Dendarang** (soon enough for you?).

I greatly appreciate all your suggestions and, even though it's physically impossible to follow all of them at the same time, I'm getting a good idea about where you all want it to go. Keep 'em coming. Nothing makes updates come faster… other than me actually finishing the chapters, that is.

Embrace one another, brothers and sisters, and find blessing in the choruses of cracking ribs,

-Brother Bludgeon

_Kim Possible created by Mark McCorkle and Robert Schooley.  
__Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto_


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